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Total Recall Revisited: Die besten Stories
Nirgendwo kann man Philip K. Dick so gut kennenlernen wie in seinen Stories. Visionär sah er in ihnen die Probleme unserer Gegenwart voraus, und unter seinem Röntgenblick werden die "Dachbalken des Universums" sichtbar, wie er selbst verwundert notierte.Unser Band versammelt die besten, wichtigsten und einflussreichsten seiner Stories. Ein Nachwort des Science-Fiction Kenners und Autors Thomas von Steinaecker vervollständigt den Band.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2014
4 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Philip K. Dick
1,971 books22.2k followersPhilip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 19, 2018
Gute bis ausgezeichnete Sci-Fi-Storys. Zuweilen verwickelt, aber immer mit sicherem Blick für das verstörende in der Welt. Unter anderem behandelt Dick hier den Robotersoldaten.
November 22, 2015
Die Storys treiben dystopisch die Ängste der 50er und 60er Jahre auf die Spitze. In Dicks Storys haben entweder beängstigende Technologien in einer sterilen Welt die Herrschaft über unser Tun und Denken übernommen oder wir sind die letzten Überlebenden nach der ultimativen Katastrophe. Manchmal auch beides („Variante Zwei“). Wer subtile Dialoge mag, ist bei Philip K. Dick an der falschen Adresse. („Sie sehen sich die Steuerung an! Sie sind der Ingenieur.“) Überflüssige Adverbien, klischeehafte Helden. („Nichts wie rein!“, sagte Domgraf-Schwach eifrig.) Aber die Storys rühren trotzdem eine ästhetische Saite an. Man öffnet die Augen vor Schrecken vor den Konsequenzen unseres Handelns. „Autofab“ – die Welt der autonom produzierenden Fabriken – kann im Grunde als (vielleicht nicht einmal intendierte) Kritik des von den Grundbedürfnissen entkoppelten, seine Umwelt nur auf zu kleinen Monitoren wahrnehmenden entfesselten kapitalistischen Wirtschaftssystems gelesen werden. Und tröstlich, dass er fast immer eine kleine Pointe für uns übrig hat.
May 10, 2020
Was macht ein gutes Buch aus ? Der Schreibstil ? Die liebenswerten Charaktere vielleicht ? Die Bedeutsamkeit des Themas ?
Für mich ist es die Geschichte selbst. Ich liebe Geschichte, von denen ich noch nie gehört habe. Auf man niemals kommen würde und deren Ende man nicht errät egal wie viel man such krübbelt und Dick's Werke sind genau das. Eine pralle Sammlung mit Geschichten von denen ich noch nie gehört habe und bei der ich selten wusste was als nächstes passieren würde. Einfach fantastisch
Für mich ist es die Geschichte selbst. Ich liebe Geschichte, von denen ich noch nie gehört habe. Auf man niemals kommen würde und deren Ende man nicht errät egal wie viel man such krübbelt und Dick's Werke sind genau das. Eine pralle Sammlung mit Geschichten von denen ich noch nie gehört habe und bei der ich selten wusste was als nächstes passieren würde. Einfach fantastisch
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews